Secret Ducati Monster arriving soon

Though Ducati sales in Australia have not been increasing in the last couple of years, some markets have seen remarkable increases, and the brand has been particularly strong in the US, for example.

With the company looking to bolster its global position, particularly in the South East Asian region, it has launched a teaser campaign for a updated naked bike model - the Monster.

But which model this is, and what engine powers it, remains to be seen.

If you head on over to the Monster.ducati.com website you'll see the same screen grab we captured here - a motorcycle hidden beneath a cover.

Being on the 'Monster' website it would be a fair assumption to say that the upcoming motorcycle will be a new Ducati Monster.

The new bike will be unveiled at the Sepang MotoGP in Malaysia, on October 20, which will conveniently lend the launch some celebrity street cred as Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden will be on hand to lend their support.

At present we can only speculate as to the type of vehicle hidden beneath the red covers, but the location of the launch will be telling. It is possible the new model could be a pint-sized Monster designed for Asian markets, perhaps 300cc or thereabouts - something to rival the ultra-popular Indian-built KTM Duke 125 200 street bikes.

Ducati announced its new manufacturing facility in Thailand early in 2011, and there's every chance the new Monster model could be the first product from the new South East Asian factory.

We'll know more in a couple of weeks.